FRINGE PREVIEW – Dead Cat Bounce: Caged Heat

Irish comedy rock supergroup return to the Fringe this year with a new show Dead Cat Bounce: Caged Heat. Here they tell us a little more about it; and their plans for Edinburgh – and Axis Of Awesome…

Tell us a little bit about your show – where’s it happening, what’s it about, why should people come to see it?

CAGED HEAT is at Pleasance One at 10.30pm. It’s the closest thing to a stadium rock comedy spectacular you’ll see in Edinburgh, and we assume that’s what everyone has been waiting for. Smoke machines, big songs, tight trousers and stupid hair. It’s the biggest Edinburgh show we’ve ever attempted – we’re kinda betting the farm on this one. Either it’s something people will talk about for years or it’ll be a monumental and expensive car crash. Either way, it’ll be worth a look…

What are you most looking forward to about coming back to Edinburgh?

Gregg’s sausage rolls, avoiding the Mile and forgetting what daylight looks like. Getting up to date with all the beefs we’ve currently got going with other comedy groups. In particular fighting the Axis of Awesome. No rules. Oiled up. Until one of us is dead.

Last year we played as the house band on the closing night of Late&Live with our covers set BOOTLEGS. We started off with a version of that hugely epic Australian anthem “You’re The Voice”, accompanied by all the Late&Live comics. Jim Jeffries took an elbow in the face from our windmilling guitarist- although that’s not the first time he’s been punched onstage. When it came to the bagpipe solo, an Edinburgh musician named Jock took the stage in full piper garb and brought the house down. It was emotional. He got laid. We didn’t. That’s how good a bagpipe solo it is. We’ll be performing BOOTLEGS as part of Late&Live every night this festival so I guess we’ll get another shot. No more thunder-stealing bagpipes though…

If money was no object, what publicity stunt would you do to promote your show?

Buy out the Broadway Spiderman show; get Bono to pitch us songs and respond “Ummm…no”, shoot Crystal champagne out of the webslingers and use their flying rigs to get around the place with more speed and coolness.

Who else are you planning or hoping to see?

As much as possible. Pyjama Men as always. They’re the best. Abandoman, Sam Simmons, Stewart Lee… Is Reggie Watts going this year? Any musical comedy. Unless it’s ukulele-based. Except Garfunkel & Oates. They’re cool with us. Note: The Axis of Awesome are not cool with us.
What do you have planned for after the Fringe?

A little more touring but basically back to writing the next show. That involves renting an underground soundproof room and spending 12 hours a day in there, covering the walls with Post-It Notes that say things like “Pigeons = Pirates?” , “Easter Island + Sub-Prime Mortage Crisis (More Heads)” and “Wolf Dickhead”. In a lot of ways the preparatory workspace of a comedy rock band resembles that of a serial killer.
Sum up your show in three words for us:

Style. Quality. Excellence.

You can catch Dead Cat Bounce: Caged Heat at the Pleasance Courtyard from 3-28 Aug (not 15) at 22:30. More details are on the Fringe website.